Your daily dose of Wild news, along with other interesting stories from around the NHL.
As of late, the Minnesota Wild have really hit on their college free agent acquisitions. Just last season it was Sammy Walker, who has turned into an electric winger that is one of AHL Iowa’s leading scorers and has made his NHL debut already; and less recently, they got forwards like Mitchell Chaffee and Brandon Duhaime in the process.
So when they are interested in a guy, it seems to be a decent bet that he can at least be a solid contributor in a year or two.
Well, according to The Athletic, the Wild are interested in forward Jason Polin our of Western Michigan.
It’s college free-agent season, and like scores of NHL teams, the Wild have lots of interest in decorated Western Michigan senior forward and captain Jason Polin.
In fact, Guerin and amateur scout Brian Hunter recently scouted the NCHC quarterfinals together in Kalamazoo, Mich.
Polin, 23, has five hat tricks this season, leads the nation with an NCHC single-season-record-tying 29 goals, is seventh in the nation with 46 points and is the first Broncos player to ever win NCHC Player of the Year and Forward of the Year. He was also named a Hobey Baker finalist.
If the Wild land Polin, who plays against Boston University in the NCAA regionals on Thursday, he would not be playoff eligible even if they burned the first year of his entry-level contract. — The Athletic
It says it all right there. Wild had representation at a recent game. At 23 years old, Polin really popped off for his senior year, scoring a historic 29 goals and 46 points, earning him the title of NCHC Player of the Year and Forward of the Year.
It took him a while to get there though. Polin had 16 goals and 26 points in 39 games last season, and then 14 points in 23 games the year before that. Clipping over the point-per-game mark felt likely, but it’s always a different beast to actually do it. The most noticeable thing about Polin is how many damn goals he has over his assists — in all four years with Western Michigan, he has either the same amount of goals to assists, or way more goals comparatively.
He’s a shooter, and we know that the whole organization could use more of that.
That’s Wild
He scored a hat trick over the weekend and is producing so many damn points while being his typical defensively responsible self. Marco Rossi is ready to make the jump. [10K Rinks]
Is winning the Central Division worth it for the Wild? [10K Rinks]
The Minnesota Whitecaps swept the Boston Pride and are heading to the Isobel Cup Final for the fourth time in the last five years. [The Ice Garden]
Off the trail…
Dylan Ferguson recorded a 48-save win in his first NHL career start for the Ottawa Senators last night after blanking the Pittsburgh Penguins. [Yahoo Sports]
What the Buffalo Sabres can expect from goaltender prospect Devon Levi, and why they should be patient. [DailyFaceoff]
